Anarch

Contents

The Anarchs are a sect of vampires that exists both within and on the fringes of Camarilla society. Its members are interested in tearing down the social order upheld by the Camarilla, believing it to unfairly defend the interest and status of a select number of older Cainites at the expense of the greater majority. What it should be replaced with is a subject of heated debate, but in the end the Anarchs are united by their faith in a more equal system where power is distributed throughout the population and status dictated by merit, not social customs centuries old that have no place in modern thinking.

In the eyes of the Anarchs, the Camarilla is corrupt and out-dated while the Sabbat is monstrous and hypocritical. Yet the Anarchs' power remains comparitively small, and so the sect operates under the shadow of the Camarilla, hoping to transform it from within. While its members are often seen as naive, radical, or even dangerous, they exhibit a passion and vision for changing the world of the undead few groups can match.

In spite of the name, most Anarchs do not favor a free-for-all, dog-eat-dog, eye-for-an-eye style of ultimate freedom and zero government. Instead, they prefer to work towards establishing their own perfect form of government. Stereotypically, this is some sort of vampiric direct democracy, communism, or, sometimes, going back to feudalism, but each individual Anarch has their own idea of what makes the "best" kind of social contract.

The Anarch's historical origins lie in the Anarch Revolt which birthed the Sabbat, but in the modern nights they are mostly an unorganised rabble of younger vampires and Caitiff. "Anarch" was originally a name imposed upon them by Camarilla Elders, since they sought to overthrow the leadership structures of Cainite society, but while many new Anarchs are indeed anarchists, the more traditional desire has been to bring democracy (or at least meritocracy) to Kindred society.

Organization amongst the Anarchs is a laughable concept. The "Movement" really has no in-sect control over itself than a group of wild animals. That said, this is precisely the reason why the Movement is so attractive to many vampires - while there are no vampires making sure that things get done, there are also no vampires pushing you to get those things done.

Within a region, Anarchs tend to follow the leadership of "barons" as like-minded groups begin to form, a title which was first used with the intent to mock that of "Prince." Most of these Barons are persons of respect, but aren't always particularly old; ironically, the oldest Anarchs sometimes refuse to take on a leadership role, holding that such practices makes them no better than a Camarilla Prince or Sabbat Archbishop. Anarchs also tend to prefer to lead by example than they do because of who their sire was, which Clan they're in, or any other silly posturing found among the Ventrue or Tremere.

Anarchs are sometimes targeted for recruitment by the Sabbat, but most respect the Masquerade and some of the other Traditions, even if they do not respect the vampires who enforce them. For their part, the Anarchs spend a great deal of their time counseling their members away from the sect, for they understand that while the Camarilla may be repressive, controlling, and ever-so-slightly maniacal, the Sabbat is what happens when you completely give in to your dark side. Most Anarchs stave off the descent into the Beast with a firm conviction in their cause, which they see as lacking among the younger Sabbat packmembers. Anarchs, like all vampires, are considered members of the Camarilla by default, but unlike the Sabbat they are tolerated, as per the terms of the Convention of Thorns.

Gaining reputation and gaining prestige among the Anarchs are two widely different challenges. Prestige is all but a non-existent thing, as there is too much contention among the Anarchs for them to ever create a standard by which to judge their fellows, and therefore it is quite impossible that any one Anarch could stand as a role-model or paragon of the sect. What one Anarch likes, another will vehemently dislike and another will copycat. However, loosely, anything that degrades the power base of the Camarilla, or spits in the collective eye of the Sabbat is applauded. There are many martyrs of the cause among the roles of the Anarchs, but going out with a bang is at least as important as successfully fulfilling the Movement's goals. Gaining a reputation, however, among the Anarchs is easy; gaining a good reputation among the Anarchs is more difficult. The most highly-regarded Anarchs, such as Jeremy MacNeil and Smiling Jack, are widely respected for their stance against the Camarilla - and more importantly, the action they are willing to take in support of that stance.

The Convention of Thorns was an agreement between leaders of the Camarilla, the Anarchs and the Assamite clan made on October 23, 1493 and marked the end of open conflict between the three groups, and more specifically an end to the first Anarch Revolt. It called for a lasting truce with the Assamites and Anarchs, who were both offered a place in the Camarilla; the Anarchs accepted - they had little choice - while the Assamites declined.

The Convention places equal responsibility on all three groups for maintaining the peace, but is seen by most Anarchs as a disaster. It specified that while no Anarchs would face reprisals for their actions (except for the especially heinous, which would be considered by the Justicars within a year or forgotten), they would have to return to their clans and sires, reestablishing the status quo they had rebelled against. Anarchs of the Lasombra and Tzimisce clans did not accept the Convention, however, and went on to form the Sabbat.

Despite further Anarch rebellions, like the establishment of the Anarch Free State on the west coast of America in the 1940s, the Convention of Thorns is still upheld in most Camarilla cities. Anarchs are not punished unless they openly rebel, and Assamites are hired as assassins or executioners by many Princes who pay them in the blood of their victim(s).

The Status Perfectus is the document, similar in function to the United States' Declaration of Independence, that established the intention to found the Anarch Free State on the west coast of the United States. The Status Perfectus opens up the Free State to any and all vampires who wish to uphold the Anarch ideals of freedom and disregard for sect politics.